Beables, Primitive Ontology and Beyond: How Theories Meet the World

Abstract: Bohm and Bell's approaches to the foundations of quantum mechanics share notable features with the contemporary Primitive Ontology perspective and Esfeld and Deckert minimalist ontology. For instance, all these programs consider ontological clarity a necessary condition to be met by every theoretical framework, promote scientific realism also in the quantum domain and strengthen the explanatory power of quantum theory. However, these approaches remarkably diverge from one another, since they employ different metaphysical principles leading to conflicting Weltanschaaungen. The principal aim of this essay is to spell out the relations as well as the main differences existing among such programs, which unfortunately remain often unnoticed in literature. Indeed, it is not uncommon to see Bell's views conflated with the PO programme, and the latter with Esfeld and Deckert's proposal. It will be our task to clear up this confusion.